Forthfast
Forthfast was a two week trial using a BHT130 Hovercraft "Solent Express" in July 2007 during a period when the Forth Bridge was closed for engineering works and buses were substituting for trains. Lothian Buses provided the bus links on the Edinburgh side and indeed the queueing point for the Portobello departure adjacent to Marine depot. Olympians 973 and 974 were repainted for services from Waverley (X90) and Ocean Terminal (X91). One at least had a visit to the naughty corner and required to be substituted by a fleet vehicle. The only clues to the Lothian parentage were the Legals, the buses branded with the "brought to you by Stagecoach" normally seen on Megabus and Citylink kit. My failed attempt to make a return trip from Edinburgh meant a train back from Kirkcaldy. I rue the day I didn't wait for the GNER HST - "only a Chimp would take a Turbo". The final weekend saw her under the Forth Bridges for a photoshoot, so I duly trundled down. Should have walked out onto the Bridge, but time and the queue in McDonalds were against me.
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